Swimming belt



S. BOWER SWIMMING BELT Aug. 26,- 1924.

Filed Aug. 8, 1923 INVENTOR zgmuwfi fiuwew Fatented Aug. 2.6, 1924.

UNITED STATES SIGM ND BQW B, 9F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SWIMMING BELT.

Application filed. August 8, 1923. Serial No. 656,380.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIcMUNn Bowen, a citizen of Germany, and residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming Belts, of which the following is a specification, such as. will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to swimming belts or life-saving belts, which may be used by bathers in learning to swim or used for lifesaving purposes, said device being adapted to be worn around the waist or chest of a wearer; and the object of the invention consists in providing a device of the class spec-ified composed of two similar body portions dctachably connected to form the complete belt; a further object of the invention being to construct each of the body portions of a plurality of buoyant bodies, which collectively will operate to sustain a predetermined weight in water, said bodies being resilently connected, preferably by the use of elastiobands, the end portions of which are separately secured, whereby each of said bands independently will retain said bodies in predetermined position; a still further object being to provide a simple method of attaching the end portions of the bands to strap members sa-idstrap members serving to adjustably retain the belt upon the body of the wearer; and with these and other objects in view, the invention consists in a device of the class and for the purpose specified which is simple in construction, eflicient in. use and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompauving drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved belt.

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 8% of Fig. 2 with the buoyant bodies extended.

Fig. 41 is a partial section on the line 44 of Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a part of the construction shown in Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale and showing a modification.

bodies 13 are the inner bodies, and the adjacent faces of said bodies are preferably beveled as shown at 15 so that when the device is in use, a substantially circular belt will be formed and this also facilitates the proper fitting of the device on the body of the wearer.

The central bodies 13 are provided with two apertures 16 which extend transversely through said bodies approximately centrally of the longitudinal plane of said bodies. while the bodies. 12 and 14: are provided with angularly arranged and converging apertures 17 which are in line with and register with the apertures 16 on the adjacent faces of the bodies and converge outwardly to the outer faces thereof as clearly shown in F ig. 3 of the drawing. Passed throngs the upper and lower apertures 16- 17 of the bodies 12, 13 and let-of the separate units are two elastic bands or strips 18 and 19 and in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the ends of said bands are independently retained in metallic keepers 20, said keepers being in the form of a tubular member compressed around the ends of the bands 18 and 19 as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing.

The above described construction forms of the separate bands 18 and 19 a loop which normally functions to retain. the bodies 12. 13 and 14 in a contracted or abutting position as shown in 2 of the drawing but allow for the expansion or separation of said bodies as shown in Fig.

3 and also in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Secured to the outer ends of the bands 18 and 19 are straps 21 and 22, the strap 21 being comparatively long while the strap 22 is comparatively short and is provided with a buckle or other clamp device 23 to receive the free end portion of the strap 21 or to retain the same in predetermined positions of adjustment.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that in each unit of my improved belt, said unit is provided atone end with a strap having a buckle or other attaching device 23 thereon and at the other end with a comparatively long strap which is adapted to cooperate with the buckleor the other unlt in adjustably coupling the separate units together and in adjusting the belt to suit the body of the wearer. By converging the apertures 17 in the manner shown and described, the end portions of the bands 18 and 19 are brought into substantially juxtaposition to facilitate the attachment of the straps thereto. It will be understood that the buoyant bodies '12, 13 and 1-1 may be composed of any buoyant material, such for example as light balsa wood, ka'pok, cork,

or the like, and of "sufficient size 'to sustain a predetermined weight in water; or in otherwor'ds, to'su'p'port a person in water in such position as to keep the head, neck and shoulders above the water level.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing, I have shown a slight'modification of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive in which the strap members 21 and 22 are secured directly to the ends of the bands 18 and 19 by a metallic loop2 l passed around said strap members to compress and retain the end portions of said bands in position. In this connection, I wish to call attention to the fact that it is preferred that the strap members be composed of heavy fabric or canvas such as commonly employed in fabric belts. The same result as accomplished in the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may also be accomplished bypassing a rivet 25 through the strap members 21 and 22 as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing.

In the use of my improved swimming or life-saving belt, the buoyant bodies 12, 13 and 14 ofthe separate units are preferably placed at the front and back of the body of the wearer preferably around the chest por tion of the body and the separate straps 21 and 22 are connected and adjusted to hold the belt in proper position on the body of the wearer. By reason of the resilient connection of the separate buoyant bodies, the belt may be held in firm engagement with the body of the wearer and yet permit of the free breathing of the wearer, and the expansion and contraction of the belt by reason of the elasticity of the bands 18 and 19. The use of the belt will not interfere with the movement of the arms in swimming, and for this reason the same can be conveniently worn by any in dividual in learning to swim, without fear of drowning. It'will also'be apparent that the belt may be used as a life-saving belt as similar devices of this kind. It will be understood that if desired only one unit of the belt may be used. That is to say, the entire belt may be composed of three bodies 12, '13 and 14 and the two strap members with the resilient 'bands for coupling the bodies together. This would especially be true if the belt were to be worn by a child, and while I have shown certain details of construction for carrying my invention into effect, it will be understood that I am not necessarily limited to these details and various changes therein and modifications thereof may be made within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desirerto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A belt of the class described comprising a plurality of buoyant bodies having apertures extending thereth'rou'gh, elastic bands mounted in the apertures of said bodies and the ends ofwhich'p'rojecttherethrough, means for "securing the separate ends of 'said bands and for coupling the same together, strap members secured to the protruding ends of said bands, and one of said strap members being provided with a strap attaching and retaining device, the apertures through the outer of said'buoyant bodies converging outwardly.

2. Abelt of the class described comprising a plurality of buoyant bodies having apertures extending therethrough, elastic bands mounted in the aperturesof said bodies and the ends of which project therethrough, means for securing the separate ends of said bands and for coupling the same together, strap members secured to the protruding ends, of said bands, one of said strap members being provided with "a strap attaching and retaining device, the apertures through the outer of said buoyant bodies converging outwardly, and the adjacentfaces of said buoyant bodies being beveled whereby said bodies assume an angular arrangement with respect to each other,

3. A belt of the class described compris ing two substantially similar units, each .of saidunits being composed of a plurality of buoyant bodies having apertures extending therethrough, the apertures in the end bodies converging outwardly, elastic members mounted in the apertures of "sa-id bodies, clamp devices for securing the ends of said elastic members together outwardly of the buoyant bodies, and scrap "members secured to said clamp devices.

1. A belt of the class described comprising'two substantially similar units, each of said units being composed of a plurality of buoyantbodies having apertures extending therethrough, the apertures in the end bodies convergingoutwardlelastic members mounted'in'th'e. apertures of said bodies, clamp devices for securing theends "of said elastic members together outwardly of "the buoyant bodies, strap members secured to said clamp devices, and one of the strap members of each unit being provided with a buckle whereby the separate units may be detachably and adjustably coupled together.

5. A belt of the class described comprising a plurality of buoyant bodies having apertures extending therethrough, elastic bands mounted in the apertures of said bodies and the ends of which project therethrough, means involving members adapted to receive the ends of the separate bands, for securing the separate ends of said bands and for coupling the same together, and strap members secured to said last named members.

6. A belt of the class described comprising a plurality of buoyant bodies having apertures extending therethrough, elastic bands mounted in the apertures of said bodies and the ends of which project therethrough, means involving members adapted to receive the ends of the separate bands, for securing the separate ends of said bands and for coupling the same together, strap members secured to said last named members and one of said strap members being provided with a strap attaching and retaining device.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name this 6th day of August, 1923.

SIGMUND BOW/ER. 

